BALI – Balinese facials are HOT, but expensive so why not DIY? Blending yogurt, honey, milk, clay and herbs with a few drops of rosehip seed oil will have an immediate difference on skin tone and softness. Yogurt gently exfoliates and cleanses while the clay and honey moisturize and re-hydrates the skin.

Yogurt aromatherapy bath and skin blends are becoming popular in Europe and are easy to make.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons plain full fat/whole milk yogurt
• 1 tablespoon rhassoul clay (or oatmeal – cooked and cooled)
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/4 teaspoon rosehip seed oil
• 1 teaspoon finely ground hibiscus flower
• 1 teaspoon finely ground red sandalwood powder

MAKE

1. Mix thoroughly together, then let sit for a while to allow the mixture to form a smooth paste
2. Immediately apply entire mixture to face
3. Leave on for 20-30 minutes, relax
4. rinse with bottled or spring water
5. Pat face dry with a clean towel

briefing: ingredients

• Morroccan Rhassoul Red Clay has long been known for its complexion enhancing qualities. Redness is diminished, flaky skin is smoothed, and blemishes much reduced if not eliminated. Great for all skin types, including sensitive, mature, or dry skin.

• Red Sandalwood has a long history of use for healing facial blemishes and all manner of skin conditions, including eczema and psoriasis.

• Honey is a natural humectant, actually drawing moisture out of the air to increase hydration. It is also antiseptic, which makes it a great cleanser for the face.

• Rosehip Seed Oil is included to add a rich, facial balancing moisture.

• Red Hibiscus Flowers add an emollient quality to the mask

• Yogurt soothes, softens and rejuvenates the skin.

in-depth: rhassoul clay

From Morocco, comes this remarkable natural source, reddish brown cosmetic clay known as Rhassoul. It has been used for over 1400 years as a soap, shampoo, and skin conditioner, and the finest spas across the globe currently utilize it for therapeutic benefits.

Mined deep beneath the Atlas Mountains in Eastern Morocco it must be extracted under extremely special conditions.

When first mined, Rhassoul clay appears as a polished brown, soap-like clay, which is chunky in appearance and resembling rocks. After further refinement and micronization, the end product is a smooth almost silken earth.

How Does it Work?

Because Rhassoul can be used for a variety of professional applications, it is an invaluable enhancement for spa treatments and for personal use. Its extraordinary power of absorption makes it more effective than other clays for cleansing, de-toxification, and general skin treatment. It can be used as soap, skin conditioner, shampoo, and facial and body mask and it washes like soap and leaves a unique, sweet scent on the skin.

As Rhassoul contains higher percentages of silica and magnesium along with potassium and calcium, than other clays, Rhassoul appears to be far more effective. In addition to this, due to its greater smectic qualities, (i.e. its ability to swell with the addition of water) Rhassoul achieves better results in skin treatment.

The mineral properties of Rhassoul Clay were studied extensively and presented at the 12th meeting of the National Institute of Phytotherapy in Paris in 1985. Rhassoul Clay contains a high percentage of silica, magnesium, potassium, and calcium.

Rhassoul clay’s most impressive properties in skin improvement are its capacity of absorption and adsorption due to its high level of ion exchange. Clinical studies have been conducted by two different research laboratories in the United States to evaluate Rhassoul use for skin conditions. The results of this single use Rhassoul study produced these findings….

• Reduces dryness (79%)
• Reduces flakiness (41%)
• Improves skin clarity (68%)
• Improves skin elasticity / firmness (24%)
• Improves skin texture (106%)
• Removes surface oil and oil from inside and around comedons
• Removes dead skin layers, resulting in a general smoothing of the surface skin
• In addition to the oil removal characteristics

CINCO DE MAYO– A growing worldwide party that has its roots in a Mexican victory over the French, has become a tasty excuse to eat some Spanish yummies. ENJOY!

Pick & Click Your Party Menu!

Hemp ice cream is so E-Z and delicious. This nutty tasting non-dairy dessert provides essential and balanced nutrition for the whole family. A fantastic alternative to soy or dairy, hemp is made from the protein-rich hemp seed nut and has a naturally occuring well-balanced ratio of Omega-3 and Omega-6 Essential Fatty Acids.

INGREDIENTS

Hemp Milk (DIY or BUY)
1/8 tsp sea salt
Cocoa powder, carob, peaches or strawberries, bananas (optional)

Follow the recipe for Hemp Milk but skip the third step of adding more water. Add more fruit instead – banana, berries or peaches are ideal.

MAKE

1. Place the thick hemp milk in a container or ideally in ice cube trays and then freeze for 5 + hours.
2. Run the frozen hemp milk through a champion juicer with the blank attachment or an ice cream maker and serve.

Gotu kola is an ingredient in Chinese Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Ayurveda, among other systems of medicine. Gotu Kola is considered an adaptogen, a substance that helps the human body deal with all kinds of stress.

Gotu kola is totally unrelated to cola nut. The cola plant is a source of caffeine and cola drinks. Gotu kola, on the other hand, contains no caffeine.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup fresh gotu kola leaves (aka pennywort
2 1/2 cup of spring or distilled water
1/4 cup agave

MAKE

1. Wash the leaves well, pinch off stems.
2. For each handful of leaves, add 2 1/2 cups cold water and 1/4 cup agave syrup made.
3. Add 3 or 4 ice cubes and blend at high speed.
4. Blend the drink just before serving, or it will lose its bright color.

FACTS

scientific name: Centella asiatica

a.k.a: Pennywort, Centella, Hydrocotyle, Mandukaparni. Sometimes confused with Brahmi and Kola, which are different plants.

native to: China, India, Sri Lanka, Australia, and parts of Africa

traditional uses: In India and Indonesia, used for lupus, leprosy, and wounds; in India and other parts of Asia, used for longevity and memory. Also used for fatigue, mental acuity, venous insufficiency, skin conditions such as scabies, psoriasis, and fungal infections, wounds, and much more. Also used in China.

medicinal uses: Boosts immune system; protects against stress; improved learning and memory; good for wounds, some chronic ulcers and lesions, and skin conditions, including psoriasis

side effects & contraindications: People with diabetes or high cholesterol should be careful using gotu kola and avoid high doses. Dermatitis possible from contact with fresh or dried plant. Not recommended for pregnant or lactating women.

further research: Gotu kola may be helpful in the treatment of varicose veins, cancer, and chronic liver disorders. Antifertility and blood-pressure-lowering effects observed in mice.

source: plant detective

CHINA -  For centuries it has been the custom for Asian families to give a new bride a Kombucha culture as a wedding gift (Confucious say, “husband not likely to offend strong wife”). This was nurtured throughout her marriage and then passed on to her own daughter. Today it is one of the hottest health drinks for celebutantes, and other would-be-beautiful people. Although a daily sip of kombucha may improve your most beautiful assets it will most certainly put a pinch on your other assets. So, if you are a devotee or simply curious why not DIY and save some cold hard dinero?

It may seem rather complicated at the get go, but once you understand the no metal rule: spoons, bowls… and preparing the tea in a sterile environment it is relatively e-z.

Baby, if you can boil water, you can make Kombucha!

Difficulty: E-Z
Time Required: 6-15 days

INGREDIENTS

3 quarts of purified water
1 cup white sugar
1 Kombucha culture**
4-5 tea (high quality) bags of black tea

• four-qt. cooker
• non-metallic spoon
• teaspoon
• measuring cup
• one gallon glass jar

MAKE

1. Wash all utensils with hot sudsy water and rinse well.
2. Boil three quarts of purified water.
3. Add 1 cup white sugar to water when a rolling boil is reached. Boil water and sugar for five minutes.
4. Turn off heat and add 4-5 tea bags of black tea.
5. Steep 10-15 minutes and remove tea leaves or bags and let tea cool (it doesn’t hurt to steep the tea longer).
6. Pour cooled tea into gallon size glass container.
7. Add your Kombucha culture placing it so that the smooth shiny surface lies up. Add 1 cup of fermented Kombucha Tea from a previous batch (or substitute 1/4 c. distilled vinegar).
8. Place cheesecloth over the opening of the jar and secure with a rubber band. This keeps dust, mold, spores and vinegar flies out of the fermenting tea.
9. Allow to sit undisturbed in a well ventilated and darkened place away from direct sunlight (temp. 65-90 degrees F.) for 6 – 15 days.
10. To make sure the tea is ready to harvest, pour off a couple of ounces for a taste test.
11. Taste Test: A taste test on a batch of Kombucha Tea may taste like this: 4-6 Days – Too sweet, not all sugar converted. 7-9 Days – Tastes like sparkling apple cider. 10+ Days – Vinegar taste becoming prominent.
12. When the tea is brewed to your taste, remove the two cultures.
13. Gently separate and place the cultures in a glass bowl covered with plastic wrap or a plastic container and refrigerate. They will keep refrigerated for approximately six months, possibly longer.
14. Pour the fermented tea through a coffee filter and bottle it into glass or food-grade plastic quart bottles.
15. Date and label the bottled tea and put it in the refrigerator.

TIPS

1. 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar can be substituted for the fermented tea starter.
2. One of the four tea bags can be substituted with an herbal blend for variety.
3. Sometimes the culture floats on the surface, sometimes it sinks to the bottom of the liquid. Either way is okay. When the culture sinks to the bottom a new culture (baby) will begin to grow on the surface of the tea.

**Find Kombucha cultures at:

Better Health Stores
kombucha2000.com
kombucha exchange

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This simple recipe makes a tasty party snack. Use your favorite nuts, and add a bit of heat with a dash of ground red pepper, if you like.

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons honey (or agave)
1 teaspoon canola oil
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
Dash of freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup blanched almonds
1/4 cup cashews
1/4 cup hazelnuts

MAKE

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Combine the first 8 ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl.
3. Microwave at HIGH for 30 seconds; stir until blended.
4. Add nuts to sugar mixture; toss to coat.
5. Spread nuts evenly on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
6. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
7. Cool.

Yield

12 servings (serving size: 1 tablespoon)

NUTRITIONALS

CALORIES 60(75% from fat); FAT 5g (sat 0.5g,mono 3.3g,poly 0.9g); PROTEIN 1.5g; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 14mg; SODIUM 44mg; FIBER 0.8g; IRON 0.5mg; CARBOHYDRATE 3.4g

photo: becky luigart-stayner; styling: Jan Gautro
recipe: julianna grimes, cooking light

HEMP is not marijuana and has no drug value.  It is the name of the soft, durable fibre that is cultivated from plants of the Cannabis genus.  Hemp use dates back to the Stone Age, with hemp fibre found in pottery shards in China and Taiwan over 7,000 years old.  In modern times, hemp has been used for industrial purposes including paper, textiles, biodegradable plastics, construction, health food, fuel, and medical purposes with modest commercial success.  Since 2007, commercial success of hemp food products has grown considerably.

source: recipenet.org

JAPAN– Natto has been a breakfast food for centuries, but because of its health benefits it is enjoying a fresh and robust popularity. If you have never eaten natto before, but would like to try it for mostly health reasons, I would recommend you to try commercially made Natto first. Natto is like a kind of cheese with strong smell. It is an acquired taste.

Difficulty: E-Z
Cook Time: 48 hours
Yield: 8-10 servings

INGREDIENTS

2 c Dried soybeans
1 pk Commercial natto
spring water

MAKE

1. Soak two cups of dried soybeans overnight in ten cups of water.

2. Put the soybeans in a stainless steel basket (or colander) and cover it with a piece of cloth slightly larger than the basket.

3. Put the above in a pressure cooker with 3 cups water, and place it on the stove. Turn on the stove.

4. After the pressure cooker starts hissing, turn down the flame so that the hissing is at its minimum level.

5. Cook for 15 minutes (measured from the time the hissing has started).

6. DO NOT OPEN the pressure cooker yet. Allow the pressure cooker and its contents to cool down. If waiting is not your style, place the pressure cooker in the sink filled with cold water. (The soy beans are considered to have cooled down as long as its temperature is below 140 degrees F.)

7. Make sure that the kitchen counter and its surrounding area are absolutely clean. Sterilize a tablespoon with boiling water.

8. Wash your hands and arms – long-sleeved shirts not recommended.

9. Have a package of commercial natto ready.

10. Open the lid of the pressure cooker, peel back the cloth cover to one end of the basket, and using the tablespoon, quickly mix in about two spoonfuls of natto starter with the beans. Replace the cloth cover.

11. Close the pressure cooker lid with its air relief hole uncovered.

12. Place the cooker in a picnic ice-chest and place an electric heating pad over it. Replace the ice-chest cover. The natto will be ready in between 24 and 48 hours, depending on the temperature of the heating pad. As an alternate heat source, a 7.5-watt lightbulb may be used. If you dont have a pressure cooker, a regular pot may be used. In this case, the cooking time will need to be increased to about two hours, and the amount of cooking water to about six cups.

TIP

Please read the entire recipe first and make a note of the ingredients and utensils that will be needed. The starter culture must be obtained from store-bought natto, unless you have other sources such as rice straw.**

Copyright (c) Ryusuke Obinata
Address questions or comments to Ryusuke Obinata at 76040.1565@compuserve.com

BERKELEY -  From the Hippie kitchens of the 1960s to the shelves of upscale grocers today, Hemp has made stunning inroads as more chefs discover its nutritive value.  Hemp is a plant-based superfood, non-dairy, soy-free, vegan, gluten-free, non-gmo, sustainable, herbicide & pesticide free, free of common allergens.  Hemp is NOT, marijuana and has no drug value.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 c All-purpose flour
• 1/2 c HEMP Flour
• 3/4 c Whole wheat flour
• 1 c Agave (or brown sugar)
• 1 1/2 ts Baking powder
• 1/2 ts Baking soda
• 1 ts Ground cinnamon
• 1/2 ts Sea salt
• 3 Egg whites
• 2 tb Butter
• 3/4 c Fat-free plain yogurt
• 1 ts Vanilla
• 2 c Mashed ripe bananas
• 1/2 c Toasted sesame seeds

MAKE

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray 9″ x 5″ (23 x 23 cm) loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Combine flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in large bowl. In medium bowl, whisk egg whites, butter, yogourt and vanilla until smooth.
3. Add mashed bananas and whisk again.
4. Stir into dry ingredients, adding sesame seeds.
5. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
6. Bake for an hour and twenty minutes or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean.
7. Remove from pan and cool.

MADAGASCAR, AFRICA -  The majority of the world’s vanilla is commonly known as “Madagascar Bourbon” vanilla, which is produced in a small region of Madagascar and in Indonesia. Remarkably, it was a 12-year-old French-owned slave by the name of Edmond Albius, who in 1841, discovered the plant could be hand pollinated, allowing global cultivation of the plant.  Today, a good bottle of Madagascar vanilla extract can run you $20.  So, why not DIY with some alcohol you may have laying around the house?

INGREDIENTS

2 Cups (16 oz.) vodka
You may also use Brandy or Rum.
6 vanilla beans (madagascar if possible)
6 small dark glass bottles or one large dark glass bottle

MAKE

1. I sometimes add a small amount of dark rum, 1 teaspoon per cup) to give a nice aftertaste to my homemade vanilla extract. You can easily cut this recipe in half and use 3 vanilla beans and 1 cup of vodka, brandy or rum. You can use any kind of bottle you want, but I do recommend glass.
2. Cut the vanilla beans the long way with a scissors except the last inch. This way the bean stays intact.
3. Pour the vodka into the container you will be making your extract in. Here you see a quart mason jar. I like to use clear glass, so I can see how the extract is developing. The darker it gets the stronger the extract is. There is no exact time that the extract is done. I like to wait at least 8 weeks.
4. Put the cut beans in the vodka and push them down until they are completely covered. They usually won’t go down completely on their own as you see in this picture, so they need to be pushed down even farther. Cover the vanilla extract and let it sit in a cupboard out of the light. You will start to taste some vanilla flavor even after a few days. How long you let it sit is how potent your vanilla extract is.
5. After 8 weeks the vanilla extract has the nice amber color and I am pouring it into small bottles for gifts.I like to put a vanilla bean in each bottle. This way the extract will keep gaining in flavor and you can tell them that by adding a little vodka when it is halfway used up will replenish your supply of vanilla. It will dilute it for a while but it will regain strength quickly. Some people will add some simple sugar syrup to the extract to sweeten it. This is what they do in most commercial varieties so it has a nice sweet aftertaste. I like to use a little dark rum in my extract instead. (1 tablespoon per cup of vodka)
6. Use your printer and some Avery labels to make a bottle label.

photos/source: stephen block

Baby Thai coconut is often used in green/raw food recipes, because it is so very healthy. It is completely different from regular hairy George of the Jungle coconuts in taste and nutritional composition.

In fact the water from baby coconuts is a 100% match for human plasma and is often used as an emergency room treatment throughout Southeast Asia when necessary. Making Coconut water one of the healthiest beverages known to man after, of course, pure water. It also helps with weight loss through thyroid and metabolic support!

Difficulty: E-Z
Prep/Chill Time: 1 hour
Yield: Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

2 cups fresh baby thai coconut meat, (Crack or hack-saw the coconuts open – save the water)
¼ cups pitted dates, packed
2 ½ tsp. bourbon vanilla extract
1 ½ tsp. psyllium powder
Pinch of Sea Salt
¼-1/3 cup coconut water (from baby thai coconut meat above)

MAKE

1. Put all the ingredients in the blender or food processor
   
2. Start with ¼ cup coconut water, and add more if needed. The mixture should be a very thick consistency.
3. Pour into a pie or brownie dish or individual tart molds.
4. Layer the top with the orange glaze.
5. chill 45 min
   

ORANGE GLAZE:

2 cups orange juice
1 ½ cup pitted dates, packed
¾ tsp. cinnamon
Pinch of Sea Salt
2 tsp. psyllium powder

MAKE

1. Blend 1 cup of juice with the dates until creamy.
2. Add remaining ingredients and blend well.

CALIFORNIA -  Whether invented in 1968 by two California surfers who blended peanuts and raisins together for an energy snack, or Jack Kerouac in his 1958 novel The Dharma Bums; trail mixes have obtained cult status amongst hikers, athletes and those seeking a healthy snack.  Most trail mixes are cooked, baked and sugarized – nullifying their healthiness. So why not go raw and get all the yummy goodness God intended!

Feel free to substitute your favorites.

INGREDIENTS

raw or dehydrated under 115 degrees

1. Cashews
2. Pepitas
3. Almonds
4. Sunflower Seeds
5. Flax Seeds
6. Hemp Seeds
7. Sesame Seeds
8. Sunflower seeds
9. Cocao Nibs
10. Goji Berries
11. Sultanas (or chopped dried figs)
12. Dried Apples (BUY or DIY)

MAKE

1. Mix in a bowl
2. Package in zip-lock bags
3. Store away from light until use